Whipps Cross T-Junction to go live in Jan 2019

After more than 18 months of building work, residents will soon be able to experience the squared circle of Whipps Cross roundabout.

This month the junction of Lea Bridge Road, Woodford New Road and Whipps Cross Road will be turned from a roundabout into a traffic light controlled junction, with a new adjoining bus interchange.

The works are being carried out as part of the £15million Enjoy Waltham Forest Lea Bridge Road scheme which includes the introduction of segregated cycle lanes on both sides of the road from the border with Hackney to the new Whipps Cross interchange, as well as improvements to junctions, crossings, bus stops and traffic lights along the busy street.

Now that the new interchange has been built on the former roundabout site from Saturday 19 January motorists and buses will be directed onto the new road layout, allowing for the remaining works surrounding the junction to be completed. This includes the creation of segregated cycle lanes on all sides of the intersection as well as new green spaces including more than 1,800 square metres of former road being returned to Epping Forest.

Councillor Clyde Loakes, deputy leader and cabinet member for the environment, recently visited the new interchange. He said: “The Enjoy Waltham Forest programme has been ambitious throughout, we’ve created new pedestrianised high streets, widened bridges over live railway lines and this is our latest accomplishment, reconfiguring Whipps Cross roundabout into an interchange which will allow all road users to access the area safely and with confidence.

“I look forward to seeing the final product finished with the new forest land this spring.”

Over the next few months the finishing touches will be made at the junction and it is expected that all the works will be completed by spring 2019.